3.27.2012

i don't shampoo my hair

Forgive the lack of introduction, but I've been wanting to write this post for AGES, and now that I'm here, I need to get it out before I wander off and completely forget about it again.

So, long story short: I don't shampoo my hair. After I'd been using my homemade deodorant for a while, I started looking for other ways to make my body care more natural. I read a lot about this no-shampooing method and decided to give it a try. What I use now is after almost a year of fiddling with ratios, but it works for me and I have a feeling some version of it may work for you too.

Here's what I use to wash my hair (all photos taken with my phone because I'm lazy):

Baking soda and apple cider vinegar. That's it. When I first started, I was scooping and mixing and pouring and did I mention I was lazy? I had to come up with a simpler solution that wasn't leaving me with a stack of dishes.

Solution, part 1. Rather than having to go out to the kitchen every time I wanted to take a shower, because I would realize I'd forgotten everything when one leg was already under the water, I decided to keep my ingredients in the bathroom. I used a canister that was previously holding q-tips for the baking soda, and tossed in a teaspoon measure. For the vinegar, I repurposed an empty Philosophy face wash PLASTIC bottle. Very important. The glass canister does not go in the shower with me. Everything that does is plastic. Because along with being lazy, I'm a klutz.

Solution, part 2. I still needed to figure out how to keep from measuring and mixing all morning. Enter the plastic candy bottle from Michael's. I premarked the liquid levels with a Sharpie and now my morning routine is MUCH easier. So how do I do it?

3 teaspoons [or 1 Tablespoon] baking soda go into the plastic bottle. I get in the shower and fill the bottle with water to the top black line (3/4 c). Shake shake shake. Then I squeeze the mixture onto my scalp with one hand and scrub (gently!) with the other, moving the bottle all over my head to make sure I reach every place. The key is to get the baking soda to the scalp and roots of the hair, where the majority of the grease and oil are. Yeah, yeah, ick. We all have it. When the mixture runs out, use both hands to "shampoo" the baking soda all over. Rinse.

Then! Fill the plastic squirt bottle with apple cider vinegar to the bottom black line (1 1/2 Tablespoons) and fill with water to the top black line. Shake shake shake. Squeeze the mixture ALL OVER YOUR HEAD. If you have long hair, pay close attention to the ends. This is going to act as the conditioner, and make your hair all smooth and shiny. Same as the baking soda: when it's all done, massage into hair. Rinse.

Now, some key points:

* Yes, it's vinegar. Yes, you will smell it while you're putting it in your hair. No, you won't smell it all day. Once your hair is dry, the vinegar smell is gone. TRUST.

* CLOSE YOUR EYES with the vinegar. Again, trust me on this one.

* I usually leave the vinegar in the way I would conditioner, like while I shave or something.

* That's it.

Oh, one more! I had read that one's scalp and hair may take up 6 weeks to get used to not having shampoo. Mine took about a week, but yours may take longer. Don't give up! Also, depending on your hair, you may be able to get away with doing this every other day. I use product in my hair and it starts to feel gross after about 36 hours, so I don't.